"You don't need a frog to play leap-frog,"[p. 53] he said. "Just squat down in front of me and I'll show you how it's done."
Frisky Squirrel did just as Jimmy told him to do. And Jimmy ran up behind him, put his front paws on Frisky's back, and leaped over him. Then he ran on a little way. And when he stopped, he crouched down and called to Fatty Coon to jump over them both.
Soon they were all playing leap-frog, though Tommy Fox said that he didn't think it was much of a game.
"There's more to it than you think," Jimmy said. "I haven't taught you the whole game yet."
"Well, I want to learn it all," Tommy Fox grumbled.
"Wait until you do this part better," Jimmy Rabbit said. "Then I'll show you something different. You must learn to leap higher and further. You're not half[p. 54] as good a jumper as I supposed you were."
Tommy Fox did not like that very well. And if he and Jimmy Rabbit had been alone I am afraid he would have done something very unpleasant to Jimmy. But now he only snarled a little, and showed his teeth, and said that he could leap higher and further than any of the others.
"Well, you're a good boaster, anyhow," said Jimmy.
Everybody laughed at that—except Tommy Fox. He frowned. And when it was his turn to leap over the others he sprang so high and so far that he jumped over Frisky Squirrel and Fatty Coon together, without once touching the ground. It was really a wonderful jump.
"What do you think of that?" Tommy asked with a grin. "Can any of you beat that?"